12 On Your Side: Gift cards popular but buyer beware

AUGUSTA, Ga. -- Grinches are banking on gift cards to steal your Christmas spirit and much more this holiday season.

According to the Better Business Bureau, 62 percent of consumers will purchase a gift card for a friend this Christmas.

Janet Ziglar buys almost exclusively gift cards for her grandchildren.

"Oh, and iTunes, you gotta have the tunes," she said.

Ziglar has never worried about someone stealing the information off of the back of the gift cards she purchases.

However, Gigi Turner with the BBB says every consumer should inspect it before buying it.

"Scam artists will come in and literally shoplift the gift cards, take them home and photographed the front and back of the gift card once they removed the number that is there," Turner said.

The thieves will then return the cards to the store and wait on someone to purchase them. Once someone puts money is on the card, the scam artist use the information they stole to spend it.

Consumers should look on the back of each card before buying one. You want to make sure the scratch off or sticker hasn't been tampered with by someone.

Another thing you want to keep an eye out for is add-on fees. Most credit gift cards, like Visa, charge a fee. Keep mind that a $100 card may only be worth $94 after buying it.

The FTC recently cracked down on expiration dates on gift cards, so now most don't expire until after five years. Still some will deduct a percentage of the value after a certain amount of time. Make sure you read the rules on the card before making your purchase.

12 On Your Side

At WRDW News 12, we receive hundreds of phone calls and letters weekly from people with consumer problems. Many situations can be resolved with a simple phone call. Here is a "printer-friendly list" of Consumer Agencies and Phone Numbers.

For a list of recent recalls, visit Recalls.gov, your online resource for recalls.

Click here to visit Mouseprint.org, a site that exposes misleading advertising and marketing materials.

Online Public Information File

Viewers with disabilities can get assistance accessing this station's FCC Public Inspection File by contacting the station with the information listed below. Questions or concerns relating to the accessibility of the FCC's online public file system should be directed to the FCC at 888-225-5322, 888-835-5322 (TTY), or fccinfo@fcc.gov.